Dundonald based energy solution specialist and Demand Side Unit (DSU) operator, Energy Trading Ireland (ETI), has announced expansion plans with the opening of a cutting-edge Trading and Control Centre and the creation of 5 new roles; doubling the size of its workforce.

The planned expansion follows a period of sustained growth and investment which saw the company increase turnover by 30% last year.

Licensed to operate in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, ETI helps companies manage their energy needs and maximise income from the Single Electricity Market.

The company also has a base in Dundalk and provides some of the largest energy users and best-known companies on the island of Ireland with Demand Response income and now offers DS3 Ancillary Services including Fast Frequency Response as well as Energy Management Services.

Manned 24 hours a day, the new facility will employ a highly sophisticated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system that can monitor and control various generation technologies including wind turbines, AD plants, gas and diesel generators as well as monitoring and controlling customer’s plant facilities.

ETI’s specialist services allow energy users to generate additional income from Capacity Payments for temporarily reducing all, or part, of their electricity demand on the grid by either ‘switching off’ or using on-site standby generation when necessary.

Established in 2013, ETI is owned and managed by industry stalwart Michael Jackson who has 35 years’ experience across the sector, including 21 years’ as Senior Grid Control Engineer at SONI - the Electricity System Operator for Northern Ireland.

Currently employing 5 members of staff, ETI works with businesses - ranging in energy usage size from 100kWs to 22MWs - in sectors such as manufacturing, production, engineering, hospitality, agri-food and quarrying.

“Employing technically advanced and innovative ICT, our new control centre will be the perfect facility from which to respond to a growing call for dependable demand side services in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the UK. When you are working with some of the region’s most high value businesses, it’s essential that you safeguard their productivity, which we can confidently manage due to our in-house expertise and cutting-edge control centre.”

Speaking about its continued growth, Michael Jackson added:

“We’re a solutions driven business. With expertise across all industry sectors we have steadily grown our client base due to our ability to provide bespoke energy management solutions based on what is right for the customer as opposed to ‘off-the-shelf’ services. Our customers also value our proven engineering capability. In the ETI team we have staff who have experience of running the €2 billion/year Single Electricity Market, commissioning the 600MW power plant at Ballylumford Power Station and commissioning over 70 wind turbines. This experience coupled with our outstanding new facilities and growing workforce means we are well equipped to help customers better manage their energy needs while also ensuring a security of supply across the grid.”